Below is a story that has been shared by a PhD scholar who has been doing research on homeless people.
When you are sent to an entirely new place it takes time to get acclimatised with new people and new culture. The same thing happened with me. It has been almost a year since I have been doing research on homelessness, and now I have become comfortable to sit and talk to homeless people.
I am trying to dive into the darkest side of these people. I am studying homeless people who are offered food by Feeding India non-profit organisation. However, many starving people just sit in the queue and wait for food.
I am now halfway through my PhD, and trying to build up relationship with these marginalised people so that I can interview them. Homelessness creates distress across the society. This issue is being deeply researched, and its causes and consequences continue to be re-examined thoroughly. So many charity institutions and non-profit organisations have come into existence, but no permanent solution has been introduced yet.
One day I got a chance to talk to a man. This was the first time when a poor man told me his story. He told me his struggle with alcohol, gambling, depression, and loss. I was no longer researcher. I became a witness; I heard a story of someone who walked many dark and lonely paths.
This is very sad that thousands of people are homeless, and no non-profit organisation has been working towards fulfilling of their needs.